Skele seems to win over Reactor every time, in every review and discussion I've seen :P
absolutely not dismissing your comparison, boss, but I found this VS. video from Gideonstactical (a YouTube reviewer with similar thoughts to mine, and opinions I trust and agree with) almost two years ago and that took the decision for me :tu:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=140kSvBhWzI
afterwards 90% of reviewers agreed in one or another way with it,
and I bet your views won't be much different :salute:
Rooting for the Skeletool.
How durable are the SOG pliers?I agree those gears do look frail :think: :tu:
Those little gears are ingenious....but they seem....frail?
Maybe I'm just too rough on my stuff. :-[
How durable are the SOG pliers?
Those little gears are ingenious....but they seem....frail?
Maybe I'm just too rough on my stuff. :-[
How far can the Reactor jaws open one-handed? :pok:
Great review! :like:
I like the compound leverage of Reactor but the assisted opening is a con very big to me.
Could it be possible to disassist the SOG Reactor??
Thanks Mr Lamontagne ;)
Does SOG have IP on their geared compound pliers? Seems compound pliers in general have been around long before SOG. It would be cool to see Leatherman make a compound pliers tool. A Surge with a compound pliers would be a beast!
Great review! :like:
I like the compound leverage of Reactor but the assisted opening is a con very big to me.
Could it be possible to disassist the SOG Reactor??
Thanks Mr Lamontagne ;)
Helloooooooo!
Great review! :like:
I like the compound leverage of Reactor but the assisted opening is a con very big to me.
Could it be possible to disassist the SOG Reactor??
Thanks Mr Lamontagne ;)
Helloooooooo!
Removing the spring (or at least attempting to) is my next project. >:D
Def
(http://gallery.multitool.org/var/resizes/SOG/Reactor-Vs-Skeletool/15184615970725.jpg?m=1518707606)Funny, mine has a clip which keeps them in. :pok: I would be more worried about them falling out of the storage in the handle as has happened to mcb.
With the open end of the Skeletool there is nothing to retain bits in it, and they go missing quite easily, which seriously negates the advantage of having multiples.
(http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=55539.0;attach=136195;image)(http://gallery.multitool.org/var/resizes/SOG/Reactor-Vs-Skeletool/15184615970725.jpg?m=1518707606)
With the open end of the Skeletool there is nothing to retain bits in it, and they go missing quite easily, which seriously negates the advantage of having multiples.
Also, many of us find the screwdriver less awkward to use if the pliers are folded into the 'front' half of the Skele - creates more of a straight line to rotate around :think: (Kampfer has a good pic somewhere).
Skeletool is Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 Series 800's standard issue breaching tool.
No way the reactor is that cool, matter of fact the Reactor isn't even reacting anymore only after two short years.
(http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=69652.0;attach=297189;image)
(http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=69652.0;attach=297191;image)
(http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=69652.0;attach=297193;image)
+1! :rofl:Skeletool is Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 Series 800's standard issue breaching tool.
No way the reactor is that cool, matter of fact the Reactor isn't even reacting anymore only after two short years.
(http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=69652.0;attach=297189;image)
(http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=69652.0;attach=297191;image)
(http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=69652.0;attach=297193;image)
:o. :like:
Skeletool is Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 Series 800's standard issue breaching tool.
No way the reactor is that cool, matter of fact the Reactor isn't even reacting anymore only after two short years of production. It might sounds great and beats Skeletool on paper, but five minutes in hand I call it quit. The tool just feel cheap in hands, very weak liner lock, uncounterable amount of hotspots in knife, pliers and driver mode.
(http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=69652.0;attach=297189;image)
(http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=69652.0;attach=297191;image)
(http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=69652.0;attach=297193;image)
Thanks Def for "testing" the bottle opener.
It seems more important on this side of the pond (no screw caps here) :cheers:
But does the SOG one work ok?
I still worry about the flat bit holder it's on a small size pivot screw
So I can't see it lasting long on heavy duty screws ( stubborn screws)
Something is going to give at some point :think: :tu:
I still worry about the flat bit holder it's on a small size pivot screw
So I can't see it lasting long on heavy duty screws ( stubborn screws)
Something is going to give at some point :think: :tu:
I have been using my Skeletool for many years now. I have worn out two going on three #2 Philips bits getting after some stubborn and stuck screws with it over the years and my pliers joints are still very tight. It may look delicate but the hinge joint at the pliers have proven to be very robust in my experience. YMMV
Thanks Def for "testing" the bottle opener.
It seems more important on this side of the pond (no screw caps here) :cheers:
But does the SOG one work ok?
If you are opening a few beverages at a time it is more than adequate. If you are a professional bartender in a fancy disco and open hundreds of bottles every hour then I suggest getting a better bottle opener than either the Skeletool or the Reactor. :P
The Skeletool pulls the cap off the bottle first time, every time. The Reactor may get first pull every time with some practice, but I'd say at least half the time you will need to do two lifts per cap. The Reactor is functional enough, but not even close to ideal, but I suppose that could be said about just about any function on just about any multitool.
Def
That was a great write up
Hope we get some more soon :tu: :like: :like:
Terrific write up and comparison. Thank you for the work you put into it. :like:
I think if you are looking for a tie breaker the Skeletool wins on price because they were a Christmas special at Home Depot in 2016 for under $30.00, and even though they weren't available at that price for the 2017 holidays many of us did buy them when they were on sale, and there's no reason to believe they won't be a Christmas special again in the future.
Special request for a tie breaker. How about which tool has Joie de vivre? ;)
Good addition to the argument, Trad.
I'm a fan of a locking knife because it is safer than a slip joint. Now, I love me a traditional slip joint, but I always feel safer using a locking knife. Or, at least, a knife that locks securely.
These comments are coming from a guy who prefers to carry a fixed blade knife (and frequently does so). No one will ever convince me that a folder is a good substitute for a fixie, but in modern societies they aren't as well accepted as they should be (according to me :D). So we are left with tiny knives that fold. And here a locking knife blade is a good idea for safety and security.
I agree with your assessment that the Skeletool is a knife with pliers as opposed to a pair of pliers with a knife. This is true from my perspective. But, sometimes I want a knife (the tool I use the most) and think it might be nice to have some pliers along for the ride. In this respect, the Skele and Reactor do fill a specific role or, perhaps better, a specific set of anticipated needs.
In the end, I don't carry my Skele as often as I have my Charge or, now, REBAR. But I like having it as an option. In this respect I think Leatherman and SOG should continue to evaluate, improve, and produce these tools. Options is good. :tu:
I'm a fan of a locking knife because it is safer than a slip joint. Now, I love me a traditional slip joint, but I always feel safer using a locking knife. Or, at least, a knife that locks securely.
I agree with your assessment that the Skeletool is a knife with pliers as opposed to a pair of pliers with a knife. This is true from my perspective. But, sometimes I want a knife (the tool I use the most) and think it might be nice to have some pliers along for the ride. In this respect, the Skele and Reactor do fill a specific role or, perhaps better, a specific set of anticipated needs.
Options is good. :tu:
I had a couple of cuts after my Spyderco Endura's lock failed (two or three times). I was seriously annoyed and wrote to Spyderco: "your back-lock fails!". This was in 1997. They wrote back and told me I was wrong. What the smurf?!? I had the Band-Aid bill to prove it!
A few years later they came out with the "Boye Detent" and I felt vindicated. Since then, though, I've never had a lock fail. And I ain't kind to my knives.
So, I'm not dismissing your concerns, but I don't have the same experience that you do. I'm quite confident in most (99%) of my locking knives and far, far more confident in my locking knives than I am in my slippies. Of course, my concern about the safety of my slip joints may make me more cautious when using them, and that might be a safety advantage. :tu:
(Hey, nice arguing with you, Trad!)
No arguing. Just a friendly exchange of different perspectives.
A lock doesn't prevent disaster, but it's better than no safety mechanism at all. :whistle:
I find the "insight" into SOG's sudden interest in quality improvements, to be disappointingly overdue. For four (or is it five) years now, they have been cementing their position as a company who cares very little about quality. Interested in design concepts, maybe, and in profit margins, but not in refining the concepts, ensuring that concepts are properly realised in the manufacturing stages, making sure that the products are indeed of useable tool quality, or giving a crap about their reputation in the marketplace.
If SOG are listening, and I hope they are, they need to understand and be prepared to accept that even if every single tool they sold from today onwards, was of the quality that they should have been for the last few years, this is going to be a slow recovery of customer trust. They have pumped many disappointing tools out for several years, and that kind of reputation damage doesn't get swept under the carpet quickly. They now need to consistently put TOOLS on the market, instead of novelty "dad gifts". Not just one or two, but the whole line, and make sure each and every current product, and every subsequent new release, can be carried and USED in real life applications with full confidence. Even then, it may take five years of high quality tools, to start undoing the damage from five years of defects, misinformation, and sloppily built overpriced gadgets. There's no quick fix, fellers - but you've only yourselves to blame. Good luck in your recovery.
Unfortunately I have to agree here. Nowdays when I see a new release by SOG, instead of getting interested, I immediately think about things like https://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=40498.0.
Knowing that a company can put out stuff like that for sale can really shake one's confidence in said company. Like you said, I think it would take a few years of flawless work to restore confidence, at least for me. A Seal Pup Elite is still on my bucket list though...